PERCEIVED INFLUENCE OF ELECTRONIC MEDIA ON SPORTS DEVELOPMENT IN ANAMBRA STATE NIGERIA

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine the perceived influence of electronic media on sports development in Anambra state, with reference to provision of sports facilities, sports personnel development, funding of sports, creation of sports awareness, encouraging people’s participation and attracting sports sponsorship. Description survey research design was used in the study. In pursuance of the specific objectives, six research questions were formulated with three hypotheses. The sample for the study consisted 146 respondents made up of all the 21 sports Administrators in the 21 local government areas in Anambra state and the 125 Anambra state athletes who were in the camp at the time of the study. A researcher – made instrument titled Perceived Influence of Electronic Media on Sports Development Questionnaire (PIEMSDQ) with a reliability coefficient of .68 was used for data collection. The result of the data analysis, using criterion mean of 2.50 and t-test at .05 level of significance showed that electronic media influence the provision of sports facilities, personnel development, funding of sports, creation of sports awareness, encouraging people’s participation and attracting sponsorship for sports competition in Anambra state. The finding further revealed that there is a significant difference between sports Administrator and Athlete’s perceptions on influence of electronic media on provision of sports facilities, sports personnel development and creation of sport awareness.

CHAPTER ONE

Introduction

Background to the Study

In sports industry today, the significant role media are playing in the development of sports all over the world is obvious. Apart from the fact that the media have increased sport awareness and spectatorship among people of the world, it has also increased revenue generation which has enriched various sport stakeholders. According to Smith and Blackman (1982) sports and mass media clearly rely on each other to prosper. The mass media profit from offering valuable commodity which is sports information to the public, in turn sports gain popularity and wealth by offering broadcast right. Sports influence peoples’ daily lives, playing a key role on their socialization and entertainment which greatly affect their health.

According  to  Ihediwe  (1997),  sports  are  highly  formalized  and  organized  physical activity  of  high  intensity  regulated  by  accepted  rules  and  regulations  and  which  require maximum physical or mental exertion. Ugwueze (2005) defined sports as all organized physical or mental activities with rules and regulation carried out indoors or outdoors whether at amateur or professional level requiring physical or mental exertion. In this study, therefore sports is defined as an individual or group activity, pursued for exercise or pleasure, often involving the testing of physical capabilities and taking the form of a competitive game such as tennis, football and basketball. Sports development of any nation, including Nigeria depends substantially on the status of their motivation of athletes among others.

Sports development, according to the Federal Republic of Nigeria Sports Development Policy (1989)  is  defined as the  process of continuous improvement of the  sport  structure, institution and programmes in order to create a societal condition conducive to physical fitness for all and for effective functioning and self-actualization. Collins, (1995) viewed it  as the processes whereby effective opportunities, processes, systems and structures are set up to enable and encourage people in all or particular groups and areas to take part in sports and recreation or to improve their performance to whatever level, they desire. In this study, therefore sports development is defined as the process of using electronic media as a system or structure to enable and encourage provision of sports facilities, personnel development, funding of sports,

sports awareness, participation and sports sponsorship in a particular group or area to improve their performance. Many agencies including the media play significant roles in achieving sports development objectives.

. Hornby (2001) defined mass media as the means of communication through which a large number of people could be reached. These include newspapers, television, radio, films, handbills,  posters,  computer  and  internet.  Details  of  sporting  events,  athletes  and  other individuals involved in athletics fill the pages of newspapers, magazines, books, and internet websites, as well as countless hours of radio and television. People in every city and community around the world form a long lasting bond with sports teams and athletes. Millions of fans set their daily schedules around the listening to; viewing of, and reading about sports. Currently, sports programmes or events, products and services are marketed through mass media. Alimi (2003)  posited  that  media  had  been  playing  a  catalyst  role  for  the  identification  and  the promotion of knowledge, information and understanding in a nation. In the global community, sports are used as a tool to promote good health, unify people of various tribes, races, and colour, promote international relations and good will, develop the entertainment industry and also to promote manufacturers’ products. With the age of sports globalization, technology has enhanced opportunities for international communication, interaction and market (Ugwueze, 2005).

Conceivably, the type of media that has had the greatest impact on development of sports is electronic media.  According to free online encyclopedia (2011) electronic media are the broadcast  or  storage  media  that  take  advantages  of  electronic  technology  which  include television,  radio,  Digital Video  Disc  (DVD)  internet,  Compact  Digital Read only Memory (CDROM) and many other media that require electricity or digital encoding of information. According to Indiana University Policy (2012), electronic media is defined as any device that is used to store or record electronic information, including but not limited to hard disks, magnetic tapes, compact disks, videotapes, handheld electronic devices and removable storage devices such as floppy disks and zip disks. In this study, electronic media is regarded as the media such as television and radio that use electromechanical energy to enable and encourage provision of sports facilities, personal development, funding of sports, sports awareness, participation and sports sponsorship in a particular group or area to improve their performance.

In 1996, the Centennial Olympic Games which held in Atlanta Georgia attracted almost quarter million people and media representatives to the city to enjoy the gala. It was estimated that an additional 1.5 billion people watched the games through network and cable television (Marketing  Matters,  1996).  Verveer  (2001)  stated  that  the  Sydney  Olympic  Games  were broadcast to 220 countries and territories, making them the most-watched television sports event in history. According to Ping and Chiung (2009) the Summer Olympic Games and Winter Olympic Games hosted every four years, attracts billions of viewers and listeners who enjoy the competitions through electronic media, hence the relationship between sports and electronic media.

Heinemann  (2003)  describes  the  mutual  interest  of  sports  and  electronic  media  as follows: the widespread coverage of sport via electronic media contributed to its popularization. Interest in a particular sport rises considerably, when its television coverage is extensive. The electronic media’s role in this particularly reciprocal relationship centres on the huge injection of money it provides to sports; this creates an ever-ascending spiral that has meant better media coverage of sports, better sports equipment and facilities, larger sports audiences, additional sponsorship opportunities and larger athlete and staff salaries. Electronic media benefits on the other hand, from using sports as a powerful promotion outlet attracting advertising contracts and the viewing public’s attention. Through electronic media, one can appreciate the outstanding performance of elite athletes. This process gets more people involved in sports, brings more media participation, and creating a positive circle. The symbolic relationship between sports and media creates nothing less than a win-win strategy, in that note, the more sports broadcasts, the larger the audience that gets involved in sports. These audiences are mostly made up of sports administrators and athletes, of which their efforts are mobilized for sports development.

According to Awoyinfa (2004) a sports administrator is anyone at any level of sports organization who directs the effort of other people towards the achievement of organizational goals sport wise. Association of Graduate Careers Advisory Services (2011) posited that sports administrators help to ensure the smooth running of a sports organization, which may range from reception work at local sports club to marketing or human resources at a major club. In this study, sports administrators are those who direct the effort of other people (athletes) for sports development both at state and local council levels in Anambra state such as coaches, sports instructors.

Free online dictionary (2012) defined athlete as a person who is proficient in sports and other forms of physical exercise. Also a person possessing the natural or acquired traits, such as strength, agility and endurance, that are necessary for physical exercise or sports especially those performed in competitive contexts. Therefore, in this study, athletes are those who are proficient in sports and other forms of physical exercise and have performed or represent Anambra state at national competitions. Electronic media have influence on these athletes towards sports development.

Perceived  influence of electronic  media  in sports development  cannot  be overemphasized. According to Longman dictionary of contemporary English (2007), to perceive is to understand or think of something or someone in a particular way. It also means to notice, see, or recognize something. Free online dictionary (2012) defined perceive as to become aware of something through any of the senses, especially sight or hearing.

Moreover, according to Longman dictionary of contemporary English (2007), influence is the power to affect the way some one or something develops, behaves, and thinks without using direct force or orders. Free online dictionary (2012) defined influence as a power affecting a person, thing or course of events, especially one that operates without any direct or apparent effort. Also  the  capacity to  have  an effect  on the  character,  development or  behaviour of someone or something, or the effect itself. Therefore, in this study, the perceived influence is the power or ability to understand or notice the capacities that have effect on electronic media for sports development.

Kienka (1990) posited that the efforts of the mass media have been boosted by the establishment of sports unit by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) which gets and disseminates to the media houses the latest sports news from all over the world. This was because of the performance of Nigeria’s amateur boxers at the Los-Angeles Olympic Games in 1984, the World Cup soccer victories of Nigeria’s under 17 and 21 teams and the transmission of Nigerian leading athletes at the World Universities Games. Obe (1996) reported that the first football World Cup Champion that was covered by television took place in Chile in 1962, and the first Olympic Games covered by television took place in Japan in 1964. With this development, more people  became  interested in  large number of sports, and  many federations were sought to consolidate the position of their sports through television not only to promote the broadcasting

competitions but also to earn income through transmission. Mensah (1996) posited that if one takes a retrospective look at the origin and growth of television stations in Africa, the first thing to be note is that they virtually came into existence after their independence. Sports have become an important form of entertainment nowadays, there are more TV channels now than ten years ago and as a result, the growth of television sport has accelerated. It is important to note that recently people have developed interest in sport through sports broadcasting and because of televised sports, fewer people attend live football matches. People prefer to watch live telecast comfortably at their homes instead of travelling to stadia. According to Val (2010) sporting events are becoming more popular with television viewers, enabling sports fans to develop a greater degree of understanding of a wider range of sports. Val (2010) went further to mention the roles of television on sports such as funding and sponsorship. The best spectator sports for television will be those that attract a large live audience at the event, consequently attracting sponsorship and funding, just like in any other venture.

In an earlier contribution Kienka (1990) claimed that in Nigeria, there is no data to support the level of sports development by the media, but the radio and television are said to have increased listenership and viewership respectively for their sports programme. Obe (1996) asserted that  live  radio  broadcast  of sports events signified the  beginning of an  important economic relationship that was developed between the media and organized sporting bodies. Ikhioya (2005) stated that the trend in the radio stations had so far given sports prominence in their news coverage with a lot of varied but interesting innovations introduced. This has forced the existing government owned stations to become flexible and innovative. According to Eric (2006) the media that has had the greatest effect on sports and the audience is radio. Perhaps no other form of the media at this time covers the different levels and varieties of athletes more than radio. Also radio has abilities or skills that other media cannot match. The first is the connection formed between the broadcaster and the audience. Secondly, the ability radio has that other media cannot match is being consumed where others cannot. Besides listening to the radio at home, people also listen to radio at work, as they exercise, or as they drive in their cars. Radio also helps to identify site of local facilities that could be harnessed for sports development.

Sports facilities constitute one of the essential determinants of sports promotion and development that should be given top priority in the country’s bid to make an impressive impact on the comity of nations (Kabido, 1996). According to Ikhioya (1999) availability of standard

sports facilities, maintenance of facility repairs, availability of medical facilities and availability of standard sports arena for competitions is paramount towards promotion and development of sports.  Emiola  (1999)  maintained  that  training  and  competing  with  modern  and  standard facilities and equipment are part of intrinsic incentives to athletes. In order to facilitate and encourage extensive participation high standards and safety, and improved performance, electronic media should encourage facilities in all parts of the state as one of the major priorities in the promotion and development of sports. Also, electronic media should ensure that athletes are exposed to the modern and standard facilities and appropriate training and competition kits. These will help to encourage the training of sports personnel such as organizing annual sports conference, seminars, in service training and workshop for sports development.

Annual sports conferences, seminars and workshop organized (yearly or quarterly) serve as information dissemination medium and as a form of education, they are used to improve quality of sports development programme (Kabido, 1996; Kabido, Venkateswarlu, Adeyanju,

2002). According to Onifade (2000), an additional role in promoting and development of sports in Nigeria is the provision of relevant training for athletes, coaches, sports administrators, sports psychologists, sports scientists and medicine. Electronic media should endeavour to encourage research into all matters relating to sports and field to enlighten such personnel on current trends and developments with regards to sports, such as new and modified rules, technical expertise, new devices, kits, tools, and the like. There is need for sports managers and administrators in Nigeria to be abreast of these developments in order to sell their sports programmes and services to the most sponsors for funding.

Funding of sports services is an essential factor in the promotion and development of sports in every nation.  If sports programmes are to be organized consistently and continuously, it should ensure that there is adequate and continuous generation of funds for sports through proper budgeting (Kabido, 1996). According to Mackenzie (2006), sporting organization require finance  for  running  events and  competitions, promotion and  development, sports facilities, everyday running cost, training facilities sports scholarships and salaries. Organizations can raise money from fund – raising activities but most will require financial help from outside sources. Elendu and Deemua (2009), since Nigeria government allocation for sports is inadequate considering the economic recession and demands from other sectors of the economy, the need for sports organizers to scout for where and how to get both financial and material assistance for

sports development  outside government  arises.  One  of the  means of getting the  necessary resources and assistance for sports development is through winning sports sponsorship deals from sponsors, especially corporate firms.

Sponsorship provides a room for organizing as many competitions at  various levels According to Ugwueze (2005), all major sponsorship deals, for event or teams will depend on the guarantee of widespread television and radio coverage of the event and the largest television audience will  attract  the  most  sponsors at  the  highest  price.  The  motive  of the  television companies or radio station in bidding for rights to televise or air such sports competition is to sell advertising slots at highly inflated prices during such games. Ugwueze (2005) stated further that the advertising rates are always at a premium during the period of such events. The television and radio station expect to and or recover the money paid for purchasing the right. In Nigeria today, corporate bodies, manufacturing companies, financial firms, individuals, philanthropists, governmental organizations, Non- governmental organizations and the like provide funds/means to associations that help in organizing competitions.

Sponsorship deals are essentially a commercial activity and the sponsor expects a commercial rate  of returns on  his  investment. Adepoju (1994)  maintained that  one  of the problems associated with sports sponsorship in Nigeria is lack of continuity that characterized much sponsorship activities. Often withdrawal of sponsorship from a sport by the sponsors with a very little  notice  is another problem of sports sponsorship in Nigeria. In Nigeria, sports sponsorship also  encounter the  problem of shady and  unrealistic deals arranged  by selfish executives and fake agents who arrive at fraudulent agreements. Such sponsorship deals are arranged only to satisfy those who arrange them to the detriment of the sponsoring firms, the event or the athletes involves (Adiat, 1998).

Odegbami (1990) pointed out that the popularity of soccer as the Nigeria indisputable king of sports is largely due to the unrivalled coverage, it had enjoyed in the print and electronic media since the colonial days. Olorungbon (1997) stated that in Nigeria, newspapers, radio, and television have done much to boost the growth of sports like soccer, basketball, boxing, tennis, athletic, through free publicity presented in form of exciting news stories. It is pertinent to note that NTA still has aversion of being asked to pay transmission right for local sports events in which it will enjoy patronage from sponsors and advertisers. This approach by our only network

television does not encourage sports development at the local level. Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN) and other stations can generate revenue for sports development through broadcasting rights.  Alimi (2003)  and  United  Nations (UN)  (2003)  pointed out that  sports journalist can effectively influence the conducted and administration of sports in Nigeria and that the information given to readers on recent development at the local and international levels would create the required awareness in the efforts towards development of sport in the country. It is  for  the  development  of sports that,  for  instance UN  (2003)  encouraged the  cooperation between  United   Nations  of  International  Children’s  Emergency  Funds  (UNICEF)  and Federations of International Football Associations (FIFA) in promoting the “say YES for children” campaign.

Recently, Anambra state government commended the effort of mass media, especially electronic media for their initiatives in effective sports development in the state. The media have contributed in the area of infrastructural development and the restoration of school sports, noting that through these initiatives, many sporting talents would be discovered in the state. With this in mind, the researcher wants to investigate perceived influence on some factors such as provision of sports facilities, manpower (personnel) development, funding of sports, creation of sports awareness, encouraging people participation, as well as sponsorship to sports development in Anambra State.

Statement of the Problem

Electronic media disseminate sports information, increase sports awareness and spectatorship. Apart  from the  increase in revenue generation which enriches various sports stakeholders, electronic media also educate people on the new or modified rules in a particular sport, inspire and encourage participation in sports competitions through exposure of modern and standard facilities and appropriate training and competition kits to athletes. With electronic media, sports plans, programmes, activities and services are made known to the general public, for better understanding and support from the public. It is pertinent to note that electronic media through  advertisement  help  motivate  corporate  bodies,  manufacturing  companies,  financial firms, individuals and philanthropic organizations to sponsor sports competitions.

However, through personal observation of the researcher, it is obvious that electronic media are biased and selective when it comes to creating sports information and increasing

awareness. Only popular sports such as football, basketball, tennis and international events get much attention, while not promoting people’s participation in less popular sports such as hockey, badminton, scrabble and local events. It has also been observed, that electronic media keep mute over outdated and deplorable conditions of sports facilities and equipment being used by athletes in Nigeria, and Anambra State in particular. Athletes are not exposed to the modern and standard facilities, appropriate training and sports enhancing kits that will help to inspire and encourage active participation. Also it is unfortunate that sports plans, programmes and services are not made known to the general public by electronic media, thereby denying public supports and sponsorship, especially sports funding from corporate bodies, financial institutions, individuals and philanthropic organization. Even the grass root sports which is supposed to be the baseline data for restoration of school sports and talent identifications for national and international events are being neglected by the same electronic media which are supposed to encourage the programme.

In recent time, efforts have been made by some corporate bodies, financial firms and philanthropists to partner with electronic media to revive competitions at the grass roots, most especially in restoration of school sports and identification of talents. In spite of the above efforts, there are enormous challenges with a huge gap that needs to be filled up in order to enhance development of sports. Hence, the need for this study which is designed to ascertain the perceived influence of electronic media on sports development in Anambra state.

Purpose of the Study

The purpose of this study was to determine perceived influence of electronic media on sports development in Anambra State. Specifically, the study was to determine perceived influence of electronic media on;

1.        provision of sports facilities in Anambra State.

2.        sports Personnel development in Anambra State.

3.        funding of sports in Anambra State

4.        creation of sports awareness in Anambra State.

5.        encouraging people’s participation in sporting activities in Anambra State.

6.        attracting sponsorship for sports competition in Anambra State.

Research Questions

1.        What is the perceived influence of electronic media on provision of sports facilities in

Anambra State?

2.        What  is  the  perceived  influence  of  electronic  media  on  personnel  development  in

Anambra State?

3.        What is the perceived influence of electronic media on funding of sports in Anambra

State?

4.        What is the perceived influence of electronic media on creation of sports awareness in

Anambra State?

5.         What   is   the   perceived   influence  of  electronic   media   on   encouraging  people’s participation in sporting activities in Anambra State?

6.         What is the perceived influence of electronic media in attracting sponsorship for sports competition in Anambra State?

Hypotheses

The following hypotheses were postulated for the study

1.         There is no significant difference in the perception of Sports Administrators and Athletes on the influence of electronic media on provision of sports facilities in Anambra state.

2.         There is no significant difference in the perception of Sports Administrators and Athletes on the influence of electronic media on personnel development in Anambra state.

3.         There is no significant difference in the perception of Sports Administrators and Athletes on the influence of electronic media on creation of sports awareness in Anambra state.

Significance of the Study

The findings of this study will be of significant benefit to the Anambra state sports council (ANSSC), sports administrators within the 21 local councils and also state athletes. The findings  which  will  emanate  from the  perceived  influence  of  electronic  media  on  facility provision will help to expose, the state athletes to modern and standard sports facilities, appropriate training and competition kits. It will also encourage the sports administrators in providing modern facilities and up-to-date equipment in organizing sports meet, which will enhance both promotion and sports development.

The study provided information on perceived influence of electronic media on personnel development. This information will help both sports administrators and athletes to see the need for training and re-training on the latest trends or development such as new and modified rules, technical expertise, new devices and tools that are been introduced in sports.

The study provided information on perceived influence of electronic media on funding of sports. The  information will  mainly have effect  on sports administrators. State government allocation to sports is inadequate considering the demand from other sectors of economy. Sports administrators and athletes will see the need to scout for where and how to get financial and material assistant for sports development outside the government.

The study provided information on perceived influence of electronic media on creation of sports awareness. This information will encourage the sports administrators and athletes to see the need for proper publicity. Also adequate awareness attracts active participation.

The study provided information on perceived influence of electronic media on encouraging people’s participation. This information will enable  both the media and  sports administrators in reviving the grass root sports and restoration of schools sports in order to identify talents that will participates in national and international competitions.

Finally the study provided information on perceived influence of electronic media on attracting sponsorship. This information will serve as a base line data or one of the means of getting the necessary resources and assistance for sports development through winning sports sponsorship deals from sponsors, especially from corporate bodies.

Scope of the Study

This  study was  delimited  to  Anambra  state,  Nigeria.  The  investigator  confined  his investigation to all the sports administrators in the 21 local councils that made up the state and the athletes that have performed or represented the state at the national level of competitions. The study focused on the perceived influence of electronic media on provision of sports facilities, personnel development, funding of sports, sports awareness, sports participation and sponsorship for sports development in Anambra state.

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